


Rebel Rebel, Ain't It Fun?

by MagicalNerdWarrior



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Gender Identity, Guns N' Roses References, Inspired by Music, M/M, References to David Bowie, Songfic, Trans Axel (Kingdom Hearts), Trans Marluxia (Kingdom Hearts), gender expression
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-16
Updated: 2020-04-16
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:01:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23683546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MagicalNerdWarrior/pseuds/MagicalNerdWarrior
Summary: Lea is exploring his gender identity and gender expression. With some new accessories and the music of David Bowie and Guns N' Roses, they summon the courage to don their true self.
Relationships: Axel/Roxas (Kingdom Hearts)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 17





	Rebel Rebel, Ain't It Fun?

**Author's Note:**

> Content warning: some dialogue with transmisia/transphobia

As the opening riffs of David Bowie's "Rebel Rebel" blasted loudly from his IPod stereo dock, Lea stood in front of the bathroom sink countertop, staring intently at himself in the mirror.

On the countertop lay new bottles of black and red eyeliner, fake diamond ear studs, and bronze flame ear cuffs.

Lea glanced at the items with trepidation. What if they weren't right?

As David sang about gender, Lea couldn't help but sigh and pinch the bridge of his nose.

Lea knew he was okay being called a guy, most of the time. 

He just felt like something else as well.

After hours of Googling weeks ago, he found the terms "non-binary" and "demi-boy" and felt something click. He knew he didn't feel like a girl, even if his long spiky red hair and black eyeliner got him called one sometimes. Yet to know he could feel like a guy and neither guy nor girl was a major relief.

His parents didn't get it. His dad screamed "Come on and man up already!" while his mother just ruffled his head and told him how "cute" his "androgynous phase" was. 

His cute bi boyfriend Roxas was far more understanding.

"Are you gonna change your pronouns?" he'd asked after Lea told him about his gender identity.

"A bit." Lea liked he/ him fine, but he also wanted to be called they/them sometimes if it was safe. He didn't want his gender identity to be ignored all the time.

"What about your name?"

Huh. Lea certainly had one of those names people liked to mispronounce. Some called him "Lee", which sounded plain boring. Others pronounced the name as "Lee-ah" which sounded plain wrong.

"Let me think about it." 

In the meantime, Lea saved up money from his part time job at Cid's Tunes, a local music store. With the money he earned he was able to order the earrings online and buy the eyeliner in person.

It helped that the lady who sold the makeup was really kind.

"A red and black double fish tailed eyeliner will look great on you!" she'd exclaimed as she rung Lea up.

"You think so?" Lea rubbed his neck as his eyes shifted from the lady to the checkout counter.

"I know so. You've got this wicked rock star vibe about you and some of the best ones look damn good in makeup." The lady laughed, tossing her head of shoulder length pink spiky hair back.

"Thanks, m'am." Lea replied as he handed the lady the money he owed.

"I am way too young for ma'am. It's Marly." The lady pointed at her name tag on her chest. Next to it was a small heart pin with blue, pink, and white stripes. Lea's eyes widened as he recognized the colors of the trans pride flag.

Lea looked up at Marly, who winked. 

"You have a good weekend, all right?

Lea took the small shopping bag from her with the biggest smile.

"Thank you Marly. You too."

Thinking of Marly gave Lea the courage to put on the eyeliner. He blinked a few times after, then stepped back a bit to admire himself. 

The red and black eyeliner made his green eyes pop nicely. It also drew more attention to his hair. Lea felt awesome, but there was still the ear studs and cuffs left.

Lea carefully put the fake diamond ear studs into his ear lobes. Then he put one ear cuff into the upper part of his left ear before sliding it down a bit. After making sure it stayed in, he did the same with the right ear.

Just then, "Ain't It Fun?" by Guns N' Roses came on. Lea smirked and did a few air guitars along with the intro as he looked at himself in the mirror again.

Despite his initial fears, he really did look like a rock star now. 

"Such fun!" Lea yelled, grabbed a nearby red hairbrush, and sang along with Guns N Roses lead singer Axl Rose. He sang the words five or six times before he stopped and realized something.

Axl was a kick ass name for a rock star. If they rearranged the spelling of "Lea" and added an "x", it could be theirs too.

"Axel." They tested the name aloud as they looked in the mirror, fully taking themself in.

"I'm Axel!" they exclaimed.

The name went awesomely with the earcuffs and eyeliner. They were Axel, the non-binary demiboy rockstar, and they would make sure everyone remembered them.

**Author's Note:**

> This didn't start out as a songfic, but music is the perfect inspiration sometimes. This was my first songfic and it sure was fun to write. I might do more in the future.


End file.
